New frog species found in Sharavathi River basin

A research team that included senior ATREE research associate N A Aravind in collaboration with CES (Centre for Ecological Sciences) and CCMB (Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology) have found a new species of frog. The study was led by K V Gururaja of the Centre for Ecological Science.

The researchers discovered the new species of frog in the Sharavathi River basin of central Western Ghats. The team have identified the new species of frog as belonging to the family, Rhacophoridae.

Describing their findings in the prestigious Journal Zoological Science, the investigators write, " The new frog possesses the characteristic features of rhacophorids. The frog has dilated digit tips with differentiated pads circumscribed by a complete groove, intercalary cartilages on digits, T-shaped terminal phalanges and granular belly and the adaptive characters for arboreal life forms".

The researchers have identified the presence of the frog as an indicator of the health of the habitat. They report, " The distribution pattern of the species suggests its importance as a bioindicator of habitat health. In general, this relatively widespread species was found distributed only in non-overlapping small stretches, which indirectly indicates the fragmentation of the evergreen to moist deciduous forests that characterize the Western Ghats".

Summing up their findings, the team write, " The discovery of the new rhacophorid species not only further reinforces the significance of the Western Ghats as a major hotspot of amphibian biodiversity, but also brings into focus the deterioration of forest habitats in the region and the need for prioritization of their conservation".

Reference: A New Frog Species from the Central Western Ghats of India, and Its Phylogenetic Position. Kotambylu Vasudeva Gururaja1, Nilavara Anantharama Aravind2, Sameer Ali1, T.V. Ramachandra1, Thirumalaisamy Palanichamy Velavan3, Vatsan Krishnakumar3 and Ramesh Kumar Aggarwal3* 1Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Banglore 560-012, India. 2 Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, 659, 5th A Main Road, Hebbal, Bangalore 560-024, India. 3 Molecular Markers Lab, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500-007, India. ZOOLOGICAL SCIENCE 24: 525–534 (2007)